William a



(No Model.) I

H W. A. RO0T Barbed Pence Wire.

No. 239.553. Patented March 29, i881.

mfnesses: 7 Livenfai': %Z&b/MQ'M NJETERS. PHOTD-LITHOGRAPHER, WASKINQTON, D. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. r

WILLIAM A. ROOT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BARBED FENCE-WIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,553, dated March 29, ll8 81, Application filed J one 29, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. R001, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Barbed Fence-'Wire, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is abarbed fence-wire consisting of two twisted strands and barb-wires, each connected to both strands,and constructed barb consists of a strip of wire, which is bent' to form two loops or rings, cc, connected by a straight portion, 1), the barb ends being bent, one to one side and the other to the opposite side of said straightportion, as best shown in Fig. Each loop of the barb receives one of the strands a, and the barbs d 6 project beyond said strands in opposite directions, as shown.

As the barb-wire tightly grasps each of the strands I am enabled, while using a comparatively short and light barb-wire, to secure a firm attachment, whether the main strands are close together, as shown at B, Figs. 1 and 3, or widely separated, as shown at A, Figs. 1 and 2. a

a griped by the barb, so that when a nail must be driven adjacent to the barb between the wires a ait will-bring the barb flat against the post without bending the points or prongs.

The within-described form of barb is of such a character as to greatly facilitate the manufacture of the barbed wire by machinery, it being only necessary to lay a straight piece of barbwire across the continuous strands of straight wire, and then, by a revolving armed sleeve, through whichv each strand is fed, bend the end of the barb around and over such strand. A machine for this purpose, and specially adapted to lay this peculiarly -formed barb upon the strands, is the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent, allowed on the 12th day of October, 1880, and, in connection with the peculiar formation of the barb, enables me to form the wire expeditiously, cheaply, and secure a firm attachment of each barb in its place.

I claim- The combination, in a barbed fence-wire, of 

